I'm a wife, mom, and doctor. I'm occasionally inappropriate, frequently odd, but not weird yet....I don't think. Bugs Bunny said it best: "It is to laugh."

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

The Renfrew and a New Pattern

Done! This is the easiest shirt to sew - love it. The bands are great so I don't have to worry about hemming the sleeves and the shirt, which is my least favorite thing about sewing. I agree with SusieHomemaker and Kitschy Coo that the waistband is a little loose and low, so I put the shirt on my dressform and pinned the waistband where I wanted it to come, which was about 3 inches higher than usual, but I still need to tighten it up. Also, I forgot I had already serged and topstitched the neckband, so I'll just live with the wrinkles. (And yes, I haven't worn those pants yet, so the tag is still on them.)
The next shot is just to show you what I was up against last night. Lucas is copying Drew's desire to make movies, so he borrowed Drew's Flip camera and we started filming last night. It looks like I'm being mobbed by somebody from Goodfellas. This kid actually put on a coat and tie with sunglasses, and the plot is something out of The Bourne Identity...with Nerf guns. (I thought I did a great job as the interrogator getting shot and falling on the floor very dramatically - but I did skin my knee. I put everything into my acting, you know.) I do think I need to size up at the shoulders because I think I need more fabric between the armhole and the neckband. (Peggy would say circumference.)
Here's the back. I lowered the armhole about 3/4", but I didn't cut a new sleeve because I'm lazy, so I still have wrinkles but I'm beyond caring. I wore this to dinner last night - ha! And SusieHomemaker is right, I forgot to take out my usual swayback adjustment, but the pooling is just enough so that when I sit down the shirt stays put. This pattern was drafted for pears with swaybacks!
And I got it finished in time for dinner despite doing stupid things like attaching the right side of the sleeve to the wrong side of the shirt. They tell you to use twill tape to stabilize the shoulder seam, but I use Betzina's tip of using selvages - this one was from those wild shorts I made for Lucas a couple of years ago.
Finally, I got my vintage pattern from Katie already - you're fast, Sister. Look how she wrapped it. I feel like it's an early birthday present - you shouldn't have!
Look at that ink - and only one line to cut out, how awesome! My next Renfrew with adjustments may have to wait - I think I want to get to work on this dress.

9 comments:

I think you have a winner there! The fit looks really good, and I agree with Gwen. The neckline is really even. I thought it was lightly gathered. Eek, between you and Amanda, I AM going to have to get that pattern...I'm glad your pattern arrived safe and sound! Don't you love how nice and crisp those old patterns are! It makes me wish for days gone by. That one was one of my favorites. I almost didn't sell it. I'm glad you got it!

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Psalm 23 for Sewists, by Dr. Fun

The Lord is my seamstress, I shall not rip. He makes my darts lie down without bubbling,he leads my zipper foot close to the coils, he restores my confidence.He guides me in paths of good fabric selection for his name's sake.Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of stretchy knits,I will fear no wavy seams, for you are with me;your Brother PC-420 and your walking foot, they comfort me.

You provide a tall cutting table before me in the presence of my backache.You anoint my sewing machine with oil; my fabric stash overflows.Surely sewing mojo and an automatic needle threader will follow me all the days of my life,and I will sew in the house of the Lord forever.